Midnight Wanderer
by WannaBeNinja
Summary: Suzuki Akiko liked her moonlight walks in the park by her house. Renji liked his wandering nymph who appeared at the same time every night. Its too bad his nighttime companion couldnt see him. Or can she? One-shot Slight RenjiXOC


**Disclaimer** - I don't own any of the guys and girls from Bleach. However Aki is all mine to bend and mold!

Hmm, don't really know where this came from...  
I don't really have anything silly, or fun to comment about either...  
Yay for Renji-ness?

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Suzuki Akiko leaned back against the trunk of a large tree. She gently slid down till she was sitting with her back flush against the harsh bark. Aki was a normal high school student, who just so happened to like midnight walks in the park. She liked the cool night air, the beautiful night sky, and secretly she liked her ghostly companion. Closing her eyes she inhaled deeply, taking in the fresh night air.

She let her head fall back as she looked up into the brushy tree above her. Her eyes popped open and seemed to stare at something. Though she only lightly smiled and allowed her lids to close over her eyes again. "It's a nice night tonight." She went quiet as she allowed her black hair to blow slightly in the breeze.

**:**

Renji looked down from the tree and couldn't help but smile. 'She's right on time…' He settled himself in the tree he'd been visiting for the past month or so. It was only a coincidence when he first stumbled upon the human girl, earlier that month. He had been returning to Urahara's shop when he had caught sight of her. Walking through the park, well after the sun had set. He didn't know why but his feet switched directions and he swiftly followed her. Ending up at the very tree he sat in now. Since that day, at this same time, he found himself settled in the tree, waiting for his wandering nymph. And like every night before hand, she found her way to this very tree and took a seat below him.

He froze when she looked up right at him. 'Can…she see…me?' He wondered as he tilted his head looking back down at her. Then she closed her eyes and seemed to talk to herself. He sighed in relief, 'it's just a coincidence.' He watched her shoulder length hair sway in the wind. Why was he so fascinated with her? She was just like any other human girl.

**:**

It was a little bit colder the next night, he hoped she still showed. But prayed that she wore something warm enough. If she got sick, who knows when he'd see her again. He found himself in the same tree, he could probably call it a second bed, with the amount of time he lounged in it. As he looked up into the night sky, he heard the tell tale sign of life below him. The rustle of grass alerted him and he excitedly looked back towards the ground.

"What are you doing up there?" Renji frowned as Ichigo raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Nothin'" The red head was annoyed, if the temporary soul reaper was standing there, his nymph wouldn't stop by. "Just checkin' out th' sky." He gestured to the starry blue above them. Ichigo briefly looked up before looking back oddly at the other male.

"Rukia says you been coming out here all the time." The temp crossed his arms over his chest before smirking. "Is the sky really that interesting to you?" Before Renji could speak a familiar figure appeared to be approaching them.

"Kurosaki-kun?" Ichigo turned around to see a black haired girl looking at him in confusion. "Are you okay?" She looked up into the tree, eyes locking with Renji's as if she could see him. "Who are you talking too?" The two boys seemed to stiffen, as Ichigo searched for an explanation.

"Eh, just checking out the sky." He used Renji's own lame excuse. "I wasn't talking to anyone. Was just talking to myself." He mentally slapped himself for his stupid sounding words. "What about you, Suzuki-chan? It's late you shouldn't be out alone."

"It's okay, I always come out for a walk around now. The sky is beautiful at this time." The girl looked to her side and smiled. "Plus, there are plenty of guys out here, like you, who'd help me if anything were to happen. Right?"

Renji couldn't help but nod and smiled at her. He would be there in a second if anyone or anything tried to hurt the girl. Not like she'd ever see him to thank him, but that was okay as long as she was safe. As long as she kept smiling that smile that made him feel…well he wasn't sure what it made him feel. It was just the fact that it made him _feel _at all.

Ichigo chuckled and smirked at the girl. Which caused her to blush slightly, which caused Renji to growl down from his spot in the tree. "Well, I better be getting back. Seems you've taken my spot for the night." She gestured to the base of the tree where Ichigo stood. "I'll see you in school, Kurosaki-kun." She glanced up at the sky, eyes quickly going to the branches in the tree. "Goodnight…" With that being said she turned and walked back down the path she came.

Ichigo grinned as he watched her go. "So, that's why you've been coming here…" Renji rolled his eyes and jumped from the tree to stand beside the other boy. "Didn't it seem like she could see you?"

Renji briefly looked at the other. It was true at times he felt she could see him, felt she was looking at him. Yet, she never said anything, never gave him a reason without a doubt that she could. "Nah, just a coincidence." He mumbled dejectedly.

Ichigo watched his friend shove his hands in his pockets and start to walk away. Renji muttered a low goodnight before breaking into a light jog for Urahara's shop.

Ichigo sighed as he turned to walk the other way. "He's got it bad…" He glanced back at the direction Renji had run off. "And he doesn't even know it yet…" He chuckled before heading home.

**:**

Renji ran to the area in which his mobile device indicated a Hollow. A scream ripped through his soul as he increased his pace. Rounding the corner he set eyes on the huge monster that was terrorizing the street. With a few swings of his mighty sword the Hollow was quickly destroyed. He heard a loud sob and his heart stopped. Why couldn't he just turn? Why couldn't he look in the direction of the sound? Dread came over him as he did just that, turning he felt the bile run up his throat.

There on the ground right across the street, in a pool of her own blood, lay his wonderful nighttime companion. His hand tightened on his sword as he refrained from lashing out at anything and everything. How could this be? It couldn't be true. Tonight, at the normal time, he'd go to the park and she would be there. Sitting under their tree, and he'd be able to watch her.

Looking back at the girls unmoving body he made a distressing sound in the back of his throat. He was suppose to protect her…

"Don't be too upset…"

He whipped around to face the unknown, yet familiar, voice. Nearly falling on his behind when his eyes landed on the same girl who lay dead not ten feet from him. His eyes lowered, landing on the broken chain that fell out of the middle of her chest. "You…"

She smiled sweetly linking her hands behind her back. "I knew you'd come…"

He once again looked shocked, "you could see me…" It wasn't a question, but a statement.

She nodded anyway, eyes looking back onto the scene of her own death. "I'm not too upset. You see…" she pointed to the small girl across the street who clung to an elderly woman, both crying. "That's my little sister." She smiled fondly as Renji resisted the urge to crush her in a bone shattering hug. "We never really got along, we fought constantly. Earlier tonight, it was particularly bad…she was so angry at me that she ran from the house. But I felt it…" She frowned but sighed. "I felt that _thing_ out there, and I didn't want it to hurt her." She tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled up at the tattooed red head. "You see, as much as we fight, she's still my little sister."

Renji continued to watch her as she told her tale. Both elated that she could always see him, yet extremely sad at the fact that he had found out too late.

"I knew you'd come, but I knew you'd never make it in time." The male looked down in shame. "Don't worry, I just needed to buy some time. Needed to distract _it_ till you got here, then she would be safe." Renji frowned further as he refused to look back up at the girl beside him. "I just wanted her to be safe…and I knew you'd come."

Silence pour over the two. The sobs of Aki's family, the blaring sirens, and the confused shouts of paramedics were drowned out around them.

"I'm sorry…" It was no louder than a whisper and the wind nearly blew it away. Yet Aki heard it, and she couldn't help but smile.

"So am I…" She looked into the eyes of the male next to her. And he realized her sorry was for a totally different reason than his own. _Sorry, for making you feel this way. _"So…" She turned to him, bubbly smile on her face. "What happens now?"

Turning to face her as well, he flipped his sword in his hand. Holding tightly onto the hilt. "I send you someplace you can rest easily…"

She tilted her head and nodded, as if saying that _that _had sounded like a good idea. "Will it hurt?" She asked innocently. Renji smiled a smile he never thought possible and shook his head. Aki watched his pretty red hair fly back and forth lightly.

"No it wont hurt…" He lifted the hilt of his sword and brought the end of it to the rest on the girls forehead. "Not any more…"

She smiled back at him and bashfully looked at the ground. "Will I be able to see you where I'm going?" She looked back up at him hopefully as her body began to fizzle away.

He forced a smile on his face, "maybe." He knew it was highly unlikely that they'd ever meet again, but he couldn't bare to see that smile disappear. Not when it was most likely the last time he'd be able to see it.

He got his wish, Aki's smile only came out softer and more caring. "You're a terrible liar." Her voice whispered as she completely disappeared from his sight.

**:**

Renji sat with his back leaning heavily against the base of a large tree. His head felt heavy as he let it fall back, eyes staring into the night sky. He had a dull ache in his chest and he couldn't quite place the origin. He sighed and looked back towards the ground. "It seems less beautiful." He said absentmindedly.

Something was missing, and he had _no _doubts as to what it was. Because every night that he had come here, he'd convince himself that he was just there to look at the beautiful night sky. Yet, in all the times he had been there, his eyes never focused upwards. They were always locked on the beautiful being that sat under him, in the very spot he sat now. Oddly enough, her eyes always soared upwards, and he knew now that it wasn't the sky she was gazing at…

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**Well, that's it for now...  
**_**Does that count as angst-y?  
**_**Hope someone enjoyed that...  
- WannaBeNinja -**


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